Furniture seat



Jan. 3, 1939. M F. wEcHsLER ET AL. 2,142,740

` FURNITURE SEAT Filed Jan. 28, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l .M xlwwggsler ac.Levme yqf,

A TRNEY Jan. 3, 1939. M. F. wEcHsLER ET Al.v 2,142,740

FURNITURE SEAT 2 Sheets-Sheet -2 Filed Jan. 28, 1936 l 1N o ./Vaxwcgsler Mac Levme BY A; ORNEY Patented Jan. 3, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE FURNITURE SEAT Application January 28, 1936, Serial No. 61,130

5 Claims.

This invention relates to spring seats for furniture such as chairs,sofas, couches and the like.

It has been customary heretofore to sustain a series of coil springs ona sheet or strips of 5 burlap webbing secured to the bottom of the seatframe. Such burlap frequently stretches and becomes loose under thestresses of use with a resultant loss of supporting eect, and permitsthe bottom of the seat to sag and to become visible.

10 This invention contemplates the provision of a seat structure whereinthe burlap spring-supporting sheet is stretched, reinforced andsupported by a fiat spring rigidly secured at its ends to the frame sothat the sheet cannot sag and 15 is maintained in its proper arched orraised position at -all times.

'I'his invention further contemplates the provision of a durable andefiicient though economical seat structure, not likely to change itsshape 20 and lose its cushioning effect even under the stresses ofprolonged use.

This invention further contemplates the provision of a seat structureemploying an arched convoluted wire spring tending to resist deforma- 26tion from its normal arched shape and well adapted for repairing andrenderingefficient a sagging spring seat.

The various objects of the invention will be clear from the descriptionwhich followsv and 30 from the drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a typical seat with the upholstery coveringthereof removed, which seat embodies one form of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same.

35 Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the sinuous springs used inthe new seat structure for supporting the burlap sheet which holds theupright coil springs of the structure.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one form of the 40 clip which is securedto the seat frame for rigidly holding the end of a sinuous spring.

Fig. 5 is a similar view of a modied form of the clip.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section of a modified form 45 of the spring seatwherein the sinuous spring is arranged throughout its length underneaththe burlap sheet. v

Fig. '7 is a bottom plan view of the same.

Fig. 8 is a vertical'section of the seat frame `50 showing a modied formof the clip for holding the end of the sinuous spring in place.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the spring-holding clip shown in Fig. 8.

Fig.v 10 is a view similar to Fig. 8 of another 66 form of thespring-holding clip.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the same.

In the practical embodiment of the invention which I have shown by wayof example, the numeral I designates the frame of the seat of thearticle of furniture, in which frame are arranged a series of rows ofcoil springs II. Secured preierably about its entire periphery to thelowermost face of the frame I0 as by tacks or the like in the customarymanner, is the sheet I2, preferably of burlap or other suitable textilematerial of -sumcient strengtlrto support the springs II, together withthe weight of the person using the seat. Said sheet I2 is supported,reinforced, and stretched into its proper position by means of a seriesof sinuous arched wire springs I3,` I4. 15

Said springs are similar to those disclosed in the patent to Karl Kaden,No. 2,002,399, dated May 21st, 1935, for Flat spring and method ofmaking the same, and hence being well' known, need not be furtherdescribed-in detail. Sufiice it to say' that the spring is preferablymade of metal wire and is provided with a plurality of continuoustransverse convolutions of similar sizes and shapes and so arranged thatthe total thickness of the spring is not greater than the 25 thicknessof the wire from which the spring is bent.

'I'he spring may therefore be properly termed a "ilat spring since it isiiat transversely. However, in its unstressed state, the spring ispreformed into an arcuate or arched shape so that the spring tends toretain its curl or arch, the ends of the spring tending to come togetherwhen the spring is partially attened by the load put upon it. Thesinuous spring is so attached to the frame Ill as to partly straightenit while the spring still retains its arched shape. 'Ihe ends of thespring therefore tend to come together or move toward each other owingto the tendency I ofthe spring to assume its original and more 40greatly arched shape. The sinuous springs may be secured to the frame invarious Ways but we prefer to arrange said springs so that they contactwith the burlap sheet I2 only and do not directly or indirectly contactwith the coil springs. 'I'hat is, said springs are arranged in betweenthe coil springs and do not directly take the load put upon the coilsprings.

Referring to that form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2, thespring I3 is arranged with 60 the greater part of the length thereofunderneath the sheet I2.

The end portions I5 and I 6 of said spring are. however, arranged abovethe edge portion of the sheet. This is done by providing perforations asIl and I8 in said sheet and threading the end portions I5 and I6 of thespring I3 through the respective perforations so that said end portionsbecome disposed at the upper face of the sheet I2 while the remainder orintermediate part of the spring is disposed at the underside of saidsheet. To secure the spring in its proper position, which is partlyflattened from its normal highly arched state, as shown in Fig. 2,suitable clips are secured to the inner face of the frame I at opposedpoints, the spring ends 23 held by a pair of said clips.

As shown in Fig. 4, the spring-holding clip may take the form of a plate20, from which is struck out or offset the spaced spring-holdingportions 2| and 22. Said portions are offset a distance suiiicient topermit the free end part 23 of the spring I3 to be inserted between saidportions 2l, 22 and the intermediate portion 24 of the clip.

The clip portions 2| and 22 are secured to the frame by suitable nails25, screws, rivets or other fastening means as may be found desirable.Similarly, the portion 24 may be secured to the frame by an additionalfastening member 26 driven into the frame. If desired, openings as 21,28 may be made in the offset portions 2| and 22 for the reception ofadditional fastening means which enter the frame and which, beingarranged in horizontal position above the spring end 23, also serve toprevent possible lifting of said spring end out of the recess behindsaid offset portions.

As shown in Fig. 5, however, the clip may take the form of a plate 30bent over on itself as at 3l to provide the opening 32 through which thespring end 23 may be passed.

The extreme end portion 33 of the spring may I be turned downwardly orin any other direction to prevent possible transverse movement of saidspring end in the opening, in whatever form of clip is used to hold thespring.

It will be understood that the sinuous spring I4 is arranged relativelyto the sheet I2 similarly to the spring I3, having its end portionssimilarly passed through perforations in the sheet and secured to clips,which are in turn secured to the inner face 'of the frame.

Owing to the tendency of the springs i3 and I4 to return to their normalupwardly arched or convex shape, the intermediate portion of saidsprings raises the sheet I2 above the level of the lower edge surface ofthe frame, said springs also resistingdeformation to a sufficient extentto relieve the sheet I2 of a considerable portion of the pressuretending to tear said sheet adjacent its securing means from the frame.Said springs I3 and I4 also impart to the upper surface of the seat itsproper somewhat upwardly convex shape and to maintain said shape whenthe load on the seat is removed.

It will be noted that when pressure isput upon the seat, theconvolutions of the sinuous springs are forced closer together to permitthe over-all lengths of the sinuous springs to shorten somewhat underthe stresses of use but without permitting the spring to become concaveupwardly even under stress. The bottom of the seat structure is therebyalways raised above the plane of the under edge lof the seat frame I0.

The number of coil springs II may vary considerably. Said springs,however, are so arranged that the lowermost coil thereof rests directlyon the flexible sheet I2, which in turn stresses the sinuous springs i3and I4 (Fig. 1) so that part of the pressure transmitted through saidcoil springs Z may be put indirectly upon capable of supporting the coilsprings II with-l out danger of undue sagging or stretching, and thatthe desirable yielding or cushioning eifect of the burlap sheet isnevertheless retained.

In that form of the invention shown in Figs. 6 and '7, the sinuoussprings 35, 36 are secured underneath the sheet I2 throughout the entirelengths thereof. The sheet I2 is nevertheless perforated by the clips 31which retain the end portions 38, 39 of the sinuous spring in place. Theclips 31, however, may take various forms.

As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the clip 40 is provided with an upright plateportion bevelled to an edge 4I and provided with suitable openings 42,43, 44 for the passage of fastening means such as the nails 45 into theframe I0. The plate portionof the clip 40 is secured to the inner faceof the frame I0 in the same manner as the clips of Figs. 4 and 5 aresecured. Bent from the lower edge of the pointed or plate portion of theclip is a second portion 46 bent outwardly at right angles to theremainder of the clip and provided with fastening holes 4'I, 48.

Preferably from the central portion of the part 46 is downwardly offsetthe spring-holding part 49 which is provided with a bend as 50 where itis bent from the clip part 46.

The offset part 49 may also be provided, if desired, with a fasteninghole 5I. The clip is secured in the manner shown in Figs. 6 and 7 to theframe I0, the part 46 being in contact with the upper surface of theedge part of the sheet I2 and the spring end 38 being preferably incontact with the part 50. If desired, a nail or other fastening means 52may be driven through the perforation 5I into the frame to preventinward movement of the end 38 of the sinuous spring away from the bend50. The point 4I is passed through the burlap sheet to make aperforation therein and to extend upwardly thereabove in -of the clipcomprises the central part 6I bent as at 62 from the upright part andindented to contact directly with the surface of the burlap. 'I'he nailor other fastening means 63 driven through the nail hole 64 of the part6I aids in securing the clip adequately to the under edge of the frame I0. On each side of the central portion 6I are the downwardly offsetportions 65, 66, each provided with a perforation as 61, 68 for thereception of a fastening element driven therethrough and into the frame.The end 38 of the springv is passed underneath` the central portion 6Iand above the side portions 65, 66 and is suitably held therebetween.

It will be understood that the clip is made of sheet material sufcientlysoft to permit the extremities of the portions 65, 66 to bend around thespring end 38 when the fastening means are driven through the holes 61,68 of said clip parts. Since the tendency of the spring is to contract,that is, to carry the ends 38, 39 toward each other, the bend 62 at theextremity of the part 6I and the bends 69, 'I0 at the extremities of therespective parts 65, 66 prevent the spring end from coming out of theclip. 'I'he nails passed through the holes 61, 68 prevent the spring endfrom moving through the other end of the clip when the load is put uponthe seat. The bending of the ends of the clip parts 65, also aids inretaining the spring in place.

The above described form of our invention shown in Figs. 6 and '1 isparticularly suitable for use in the repair and re-adjustment of springseats wherein the burlap sheet has been unduly stretched and thestructure thus shown may be applied to any seat, whether of a continuoussheet of burlap or whether the strips of burlap are used to supportthecoil springs. This form of our conf struction is also suitable fornew seats since the clips may be readily secured in place. both to theinner face of the frame and to the lower edge thereof by merely passingthe pointed ends Il of said clips through the burlap and into contactwith the inner face of the frame. The clips form adequate rigid supportsfor the ends of the sinous springs and owing, as previously explained,to the tendency of said spring to return to its initial greatly convexposition, form an efiicient stretching means for the burlap to preventany sagging thereof or to take up any sagging which has alreadyoccurred.

It will thus be seen that by the prent invention is provided a durablestructure designed to maintain its proper shape throughout the lifethereof and in which any sagging or undue stretching of the fabricsheet, forming the bottom closure for the seat, is adequately taken up.

It will further be seen that we have provided a structure well adaptedfor the repair of sagging seat structures and also well d to meet thesevere requirements of practical use.

While we have shown and described a specic embodiment of our invention,it will be understood that we do not intend to limit ourselves theretobut desire to claim our invention as broadly as may be permitted by thestate of the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a spring seat provided with a hollow frame and with a burlap sheetsecured around its entire periphery to the lowermost edge surface of theframe and comprising a support for rowsv of coil springs, anL-shapedclip provided with a pair of legs arranged at right angles toeach other, each of said legs being perforated, one of said legs beingupright and pointed at its upper end and passed through the burlap sheetinto contact with an inner face of the irame and secured thereto, theother leg having the middle portion thereof from its outermost free endto the first-mentioned leg arranged in vertical spaced relation abovethe remainder of said leg a distance substantially equal to thethickness of the spring hereinafter mentioned, said middle portion beingsecured to the lowermost edge surface of the frame with the peripheralportion of said sheet therebetween, anv

arched sinuous spring extending completely across the frame andcomprising the sole means for` raising a selected area of the sheet,said spring being arranged underneath and in contact with the sheetthroughout the entire length thereof, a free end portion on the sinuousspring inserted -underneath said middle portion and above the remainderof said other leg. said remainder being bent toward the burlap sheet tosubstantially enclose said spring end, that part of said spring endprojecting beyond said remainder being bent inwardly of the frame, and

a second clip similar to said first-mentioned clip for the other end ofthe spring. said clips being the sole supporting meansfor the spring.

2. In a spring seat provided with a hollow frame and with a fabric sheetsecured to the frame, an arched sinuous spring terminating in a pair offree ends each bent at its extreme outermost part out of alignment withthe adjacent part thereof, said spring extending completely across theframe and underneath and in contact with the under face of'said sheetand stretching said sheet upwardly, and means for rigidly securing saidends of the spring to the frame with the major portion of the spring inthe interior of the frame comprising a pair of L-shaped clips eachhaving a vertical leg pointed at its upper extremity passing through thesheet and secured to the inner face of and below the top of the frameand having the other leg thereof secured to the under edge surface ofthe frame with the peripheral part of jsaid sheet therebetween, saidother leg having a pair of marginal offset portions extending below themid-portion thereof and parallel thereto and substantially coextensivein length therewith, said offset portion engaging and being bent aboutsaid free end of the spring, said spring comprising the sole means forraising a selected area of the sheet above the level which said sheetwould assume if unsupported by the spring.

3. In a spring seat having an upright frame open at its top and bottom,and having a burlap sheet secured around .its entire periphery to thelowermost edge of the frame to close the bottom of the frame, and alsohaving a series of rows of upright coll springs resting on and supportedsolely by the burlap sheet, a plurality of dat spring members infrlctional contact with the under face of the sheet and free andindependent of each other and of the coil springs, each of said springmembers extending completely across the frame from one side to theopposite side thereof and being highest at its middle and each having aseries of transversely extending flat convolutions therein spaced aparta distance less than the width of the spring, each convolution havingstraight sides and rounded ends, said spring member being initiallyarched longitudinally in an arc of lesser radius than that assumed bythe spring when secured in its operative position in the seat, and meansfor securing the ends of each of said arched spring members rigidly tothe frame in arched position comprising a pair of L-shaped clip members,each clip member having one leg iixedly secured to the inner face of theframe and below the top of the frame, each of said clip members having asecond leg provided with a middle portion offset throughout the entirelength of said second leg from the remainder of said second leg and inparallel spaced relation to the adjacent parts of the second leg, saidadjacent parts being bend-- able toward the frame, one of the endportions of the arched spring member being arranged to pass across saidoilset and to project beyond the clip, said middle portion being securedto the bottom edge of the frame with the sheet therebetweemtheprojecting part of said end portion being bent laterally of the clip toprevent removal of said end portion from the clip, said one leg passingthrough the burlap sheet, said spring member being of suilicientstrength to resistreduction of its convexity to a straight line underall normal loads put on the seat, but yielding slightly under said loadsto reduce its convexity and the consequent convexity of the sheet, thelength of the arc of said spring member, when so yielding, beinglessened, said spring members comprising thesole means for arching thesaid sheet.

4. In a seat support for a seat having a substantially rectangularhollow frame completely closed at the bottom thereof by a fabric sheetsecured therein, said sheet being adapted to support rows oi coilsprings, a pre-arched sinuous spring having a tendency to curl into moreaccentuated arcuate forms, said spring extending completely across theframe from one side thereof to the opposite side and being arrangedunderneath and in contact with the under face of the sheet for at leastthe greater part of the length of the spring, and means for ilxedly andrigidly securing the ends of the spring to the lower part of the frameat opposed points with the spring arranged in convex upward position inthe lower part of the hollow interior of the frame and in a curve ofgreater radius than that normally assumed by the spring if free at itsends, said spring securing and xing means comprising a pair of L-shapedclips, one leg of each of said clips having a pair of spaced perforatedcoplanar oilsets each having a width of about one-third of the width ofthe clip and a length equal to that of said'leg, said oisets beingarranged in a plane in lateral parallel spaced relation to the plane ofthe remaining middle part ot the leg to provide a spring-end receivingspace amano.,

between the oisets and said middle part, said middle part being securedto the lower edge oi the frame with thevsheet therebetween, said oi!-sets having free ends bendable toward the remainder of the clip andabout the end of the spring, each of said clips having a second pointedleg passing through the sheetand secured to the inner face of the frame.

5.l An L-shaped clip member for use in holding the end oi a sinuousspring rigidly to a frame comprising a pair o! substantially flatperpendicular legs, one of said legs being pointed at one end, the otherleg having a pair of spaced perforated coplanar oisets arranged in aplane in lateral parallel spaced relation to the remainder of said otherleg between said offsets and. coextensive in length therewith, said re-`mainder of said other leg terminating at said one leg and extendingperpendicularly therefrom. said oisets providing a space between theoffsets and said remainder for the reception of the end oi the sinuousspring and having free ends bendable toward the body portion and aboutsaid end of the spring, and a pair of right-angle bends at the junctureof said oisets with said one leg, against which said spring end is drawnon the tendency of said spring to curl up.

MAX F. WECHSLER.

MAC LEVINE.

